Portuguese president ‘to propose’ extending national lockdown till May 1

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said on Friday that next week he will propose extending a national lockdown until May 1. The country has so far reported 15,472 confirmed cases and 435 fatalities, Reuters reported. Parliament is likely to approve his request. Portugal declared a 15-day state of emergency on March 18, and last week approved its extension by a further 15 days through to April 17.

“We have to be very focused on a fight that we haven’t fully won yet,” Rebelo de Sousa said. “We cannot let our guard down.” The president himself was in quarantine for two weeks last month, despite testing negative for coronavirus.

Speaking on television on Friday, PM Antonio Costa said: “It would be a wrong signal for the country to lift the state of emergency… There is still no light at the end of the tunnel.”

Both Costa and Rebelo de Sousa said it was critical that the Portuguese stay home during the usually busy Easter period to avoid contagion.